Kramnik, Vladimir – Van Wely, Loek

2754 2005 · Draw

Kramnik–Van Wely, 2005: a mainline Sveshnikov, with 9.Bxf6 gxf6 and the knight parked on d5. Van Wely takes on the shattered pawns for the bishop pair, and after 16...exf4 the game turns into close-quarters play on the open files. The engine flags no turning point at all: no losing mistake, no missed chance. Both sides score 96% moves that are at least good, unusual in such an unbalanced structure. Exchanges drain the position (27...Rxf1+, 34...Qxa6), the b-pawn marches to b7, neither side cracks, and it ends ½-½. The lesson: in sharp openings a draw isn’t passivity, it’s two accurate defences meeting.